open 1 of 3

1
as in to unlock
to change from a closed to an open position please open the door to let the cat out

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to clear
to make passage through (something) possible by removing obstructions we need to open this drain that's clogged with hair

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in to expand
to arrange the parts of (something) over a wider area when we got too close, the cardinal opened its wings and flew to a higher branch

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
as in to free
to rid the surface of (as an area) from things in the way snowplows opened the runway without much trouble

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5

open

2 of 3

adjective

1
2
as in public
freely available for use or participation by all the lanes at the bowling alley will be open during the afternoon, but will be available only for league play in the evening

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
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9

open

3 of 3

noun

as in wilderness
that part of the physical world that is removed from human habitation a daguerreotype of a cowboy whose face is roughened from a hard life in the open

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective open contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of open are exposed, liable, prone, sensitive, subject, and susceptible. While all these words mean "being by nature or through circumstances likely to experience something adverse," open stresses a lack of barriers preventing incurrence.

a claim open to question

When could exposed be used to replace open?

The words exposed and open can be used in similar contexts, but exposed suggests lack of protection or powers of resistance against something actually present or threatening.

exposed to infection

When can liable be used instead of open?

While in some cases nearly identical to open, liable implies a possibility or probability of incurring something because of position, nature, or particular situation.

liable to get lost

When would prone be a good substitute for open?

While the synonyms prone and open are close in meaning, prone stresses natural tendency or propensity to incur something.

prone to delay

When might sensitive be a better fit than open?

The words sensitive and open are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sensitive implies a readiness to respond to or be influenced by forces or stimuli.

unduly sensitive to criticism

When is subject a more appropriate choice than open?

In some situations, the words subject and open are roughly equivalent. However, subject implies an openness for any reason to something that must be suffered or undergone.

all reports are subject to review

When is it sensible to use susceptible instead of open?

The meanings of susceptible and open largely overlap; however, susceptible implies conditions existing in one's nature or individual constitution that make incurrence probable.

very susceptible to flattery

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of open
Verb
Jury selection is scheduled to start May 5, with an anticipated May 12 date for opening statements. Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025 The evolution of Electric Park The original Electric Park opened north of the Heim Brewery at Montgall and Nicholson avenues in the East Bottoms. Jeremy Drouin, Kansas City Star, 14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
Advertisement Advertisement The principles of a free, open, and peaceful space are enshrined in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which all major space powers have ratified, including the U.S., Russia, and China. Andrew Hanna, Time, 13 Apr. 2025 In the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Charlotte Harbor Region, which includes Lee County, snook season is open from March 1 to April 30 and from October 1 through November 30. Steve Waters, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2025
Noun
The cold open was a sarcastic attempt to get on Trump’s good side. Lexi Carson, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Mar. 2025 In the southern city of Rafah, officials said Israeli bombardments had forced residents into the open, deepening their suffering. Ibrahim Hazboun, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for open
Recent Examples of Synonyms for open
Verb
  • Traders borrow to short tokens or increase leverage, long-term holders unlock liquidity without selling, businesses take loans to fund operations, and lenders earn passive yield on idle assets.
    Nina Bambysheva, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Apply our BetMGM bonus code to unlock the best welcome offer in your state in time for the final day of the NBA regular season and the last round of The Masters, plus a full slate of MLB games.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • And in 2009, domestic box office revenue cleared $10 billion for the first time.
    Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 18 Apr. 2025
  • The company implemented diversity goals, cleared years of freelancer debt, and committed to becoming carbon-neutral within five years.
    Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • For 2024, the list was expanded to 450 companies and looked at their emissions between 2020 and 2022.
    Elizabeth Weise, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Read: The Last of Us and the power of video games One of the best things about the TV adaptation has been its ability to expand past the limits of the game’s storytelling.
    Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Four months into his second term, the sprint is on: SAB 121 is gone, freeing banks from punitive capital rules on digital‑asset custody; April’s bill scrapped the nightmare cost‑basis paperwork for DeFi; and the DOJ has shuttered its crypto task force, vowing to chase scammers, not software.
    Crypto Confidential, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
  • In the month following Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack and Hamas's seizing of hundreds of Israeli hostages, Francis had prayed they would soon be freed and called for dialogue.
    Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Max subscription plans begin at $9.99 a month with ads while ad-free subscriptions cost $16.99 a month.
    Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025
  • The European Union has begun to issue its U.S.-bound officials burner phones, for fear of surveillance, the Financial Times reported.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Ever since then, Mavs general manager Nico Harrison has been public enemy No. 1 in Dallas.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • According to Rolling Stone, the singer’s public profile is one of the eight followers, as well as SZA, producer Michael Uzowuru, singer girlsweetvoiced and audio engineer Sean Matsukawa.
    DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Saving currently endangered species A number of experts say that bringing back extinct animals will not solve any conservation problems and that efforts would be better spent trying to find ways to save current critically endangered or vulnerable species.
    Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 11 Apr. 2025
  • There are several factors behind what makes a region particularly sneezy and vulnerable to certain allergens.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The album is raw, honest, and deeply personal—a sonic letter to women and their stories, both told and untold.
    Nour Ezzedine, Billboard, 10 Apr. 2025
  • This accountability between sustainability initiatives and resilience among uncertainty is sparking more honest conversations, leading to more realistic goal setting and, ultimately, more meaningful progress.
    Sarah Jones, Sourcing Journal, 10 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Open.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/open. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

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